MARISA AND THE MOTHS
“What Doesn’t Kill You”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Marisa And The Moths are a hard rock band from the UK releasing their self titled debut album in 2019, and sophomore album ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ in 2024.

Founded by singer Marisa, the frontwoman’s powerhouse vocals have brought the hard rocking, Grungy alternative rock band to the eyes and ears of an audience whose musical preferences lie with bands such as Evanescence, Halestorm, and In This Moment. With headline tours under their belts, along with support slots for artists such as Kris Barras Band, Von Hertzen Brothers, Those Damn Crows and As December Falls, the band have also appeared at various music festivals – 2,000 Trees and Planet Rockstock to name just two!

The bands new album ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ is fifty minutes long and features an incredible sixteen songs – sixteen songs as Marisa comments (about the album) “it became my autobiography, a cathartic release of the emotions and experiences I had endured. The songs were meticulously arranged to reflect the non-linear process of grief, mirroring the ebb and flow of my mental health as I navigated the aftermath of abuse”. The display of emotion oozing outta every song on offer is matched by Marisa’s raw and honest lyrics as the singer goes on to explain “I knew I had to write this album. It became my mission to give voices to the voiceless and be a beacon of support for those who have experienced similar hardships”.

Now over the years, I’ve also struggled with mental health and anxiety, suffering clinical depression and suicidal ideation (in 2009), along with a life threatening medical condition (in 2019), so I related very easily to a lot of what Marisa had to say – I was actually brought to tears by just how deeply the singers messages hit home! And while yes there’s been plenty of other songs across my forty plus years of listening to metal and rock that have carried such a deep personal meaning/connection, there’s never been so many on just the one album! And as a private person who doesn’t often share a lot of personal stuff, no-one really knows just how many struggles I hold inside. And if I were to let it all out, I wouldn’t know where to begin – let alone how!

But Marisa knew how – through her music! And as we all know, music is a universal language that everyone understands, yet the meaning behind every song is different, affecting every listener in different ways. So whether you’ve suffered (or are suffering) from depression, anxiety or abuse, you’ll find something here to relate to, and may even find comfort in. The album title ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ is a perfect adage – loosely taken from the nineteenth century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s phrase “what does not kill me makes me stronger”.

But what of the music on offer I here you all cry! I’m getting round to it I reply (while wiping tears from my eyes), the album containing some of the hardest hitting lyrics I’ve ever heard. But there’s also some fairly defiant ones too – so whether you’re looking for slow, mellow and passionate, or up tempo, foot tapping, and head noddingly addictive, you’ll find them all here. Now for regular readers who already know what my writing style is, this review is gonna differ massively to every other one I’ve written – ’cause I’m not about to tell you what each and every song sounds and feels like! I’m gonna leave that all up to you, because the personal nature contained within each one is gonna connect with everyone differently.

But I’ll tell you this, ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ should be available at every therapy session for every patient as a form of treatment – ’cause I for one, related more to Marisa and her lyrics than I ever did with any counsellor I’ve ever spoken to! And that includes the group therapy I attended too! And just look at how much this album has got me talking about personal stuff – way more than any other has! It’s incredible, and fairly unbelievable at the same time! So thank you Marisa – and the rest of the band – for such an honest, genuine and personal journey. And if ever you find yourselves in my neck of the woods (just an hour along the M4), I would gladly buy you all a drink – or two!

Overall, a fantastic album full to the brim with deep, meaningful songs spanning the alternative, Grunge and hard rock genres of music.

TRACKLIST

Cursed
Get It Off My Chest
Borderline
Wither Away 
Gaslight
State of Mind (interlude)    
Who Are You Waiting For?
Pedestal
Straight-Laced
Fake It Till You Make It
SAD
Serotonin
Just Like Me
Sense Of Self (interlude)
Devil You Know
Lungs

https://www.marisaandthemoths.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marisaandthemoths

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